Polyvine Heavy Duty Wood Varnish Review

Polyvine describes this varnish as “an ultra-hard, high-quality, fast-drying varnish with a satin or dead-flat finish that dries to a crystal-clear film for interior surfaces.”

Polyvine Heavy Duty Wood Varnish is fully water-based and has extremely low VOCs, making it suitable for use in homes with pets, small children, or people with breathing difficulties. The bottles come in 100 ml, 500 ml, 1 litre and 4 litres, so it’s really easy to buy an appropriate amount for your project. You can buy this product online.

Using Polyvine Heavy Duty Wood Varnish to Protect a Banister

“Fantastic,” I thought. I know the perfect place to try this out. Touched by everyone as they ascend the stairs, either eagerly hauling their tired bodies up to bed or barely supporting themselves as they head down. The banister is used by everyone, and there’s no better place to put Polyvine Heavy Duty Wood Varnish to the test.

This past week we’ve been redecorating a beautiful hall, stairs and landing in a large Victorian semi-detached house (our speciality as professional decorators). While all the surrounding woodwork is pine, lurking beneath a badly applied tinted varnish was a beautiful oak banister.

Since matching woodwork is so last century, our customer opted to keep the handrail a dark and sultry feature of thestaircase, enhancing the overall sophistication of their vision with Polyvine Walnut Wood Dye, and finishing it with Polyvine Heavy Duty Wood Varnish in Satin.

As I opened the bottle and decanted the varnish into a washed-out Chinese takeaway tub (we’re not precious about scuttles here. If plastics are the result of our consumption, I’ll be damned if they aren’t reused in every possible way!), I gave the instructions a quick glance and noticed they said “Do not shake.” Oops. I had already given the varnish a little shake before opening it, so I waited for the liquid to settle for a while before applying it.

The varnish was a light, dusky, translucent liquid, unlike the opaque, milky appearance of many other water-based varnishes. The consistency was also more like an oil, being silky and fairly fluid.

I applied the Polyvine Heavy Duty Wood Varnish in a thin coat, diluted with 10% water to account for the absorbency of the bare wood. I started with the underside of the handrail, then worked between the spindles, before moving on to one side, the top and finally the opposite side, using very light, gentle sweeping motions in the direction of the wood grain, of course.

The varnish went on like an absolute dream. It stayed where I put it without sagging or forming drips.

After I had applied the Polyvine Heavy Duty Wood Varnish to the entire banister, there was a faint whiff of fish, reminiscent of the Copydex glue we used to use in craft classes at school. Thankfully, it was faint and dissipated very quickly.

I left it to dry. The instructions say “Dries in 30–60 minutes” and “Recoat after one to two hours.” We still had a lot of sanding to do, so I was pleased that it was all dry within 40 minutes. We cracked on with the surrounding decorating, and I recoated the banister in the afternoon and again the next morning. Each time I gave the surface a very gentle sand to remove any dust nibs and ensure a perfectly smooth finish. The subsequent coats were undiluted, and the consistency remained very similar.

Our customers tend to have a very discerning eye for detail. They were delighted by the silky-smooth finish, and I was delighted to allow them the pleasure of rubbing their hands all over our beautiful work the very next day, as a 16-hour cure time is positively fantastic.

The varnish, much like anything wet applied to wood, warmed the tone, making it look richer and deeper in colour. But the coating was truly clear, so I didn’t have to worry about the orangey tint that you tend to get with some hybrid or oil-based “clear” varnishes.

I am delighted by everything about this product. From its ease of use to the drying times, its cure time and the finish, it has impressed me throughout. Throughout the process, we were working heavily around the banister.

Dust fell on it, we hoovered it off, we covered it with sheets while we rolled the walls and ceilings, and at the end of each day we cleaned it off and it looked as good as new. Based on my experience so far, the durability has already proven better than many comparable products I’ve used, and I cannot wait to see how it holds up over time. Click here to see online prices.

My Polyvine Heavy Duty Wood Varnish Review

FAQs

Is Polyvine varnish waterproof?

All the varnishes in the Polyvine range are water-resistant once fully cured, helping to protect the surfaces they’re applied to.

How long does Polyvine Varnish take to dry?

Polyvine Heavy Duty Wood Varnish is touch dry in 30–60 minutes and can normally be recoated after one to two hours, depending on conditions. It is hard enough for light use after around 16 hours, although full cure takes several days.

Is Polyvine varnish polyurethane?

Yes, Polyvine Heavy Duty varnish is made from cross-linked polyurethane, which is what makes it so durable.

How to remove Polyvine varnish?

Polyvine also make a Varnish & Paint Remover which is perfect for this type of task.